Jeff McDonald//May 7, 2014//
An advisory committee for Portland Public Schools is ranking which of its high schools most need capital improvements that would be paid for via a bond expected to go before voters in 2016, a district official said Monday.
PPS has initiated school improvement projects that were approved as part of its $482 million bond approved by voters in 2012. But only three of the district’s nine high schools are being modernized with that money. Projects at Franklin and Roosevelt high schools, still in the design phase, are slated to begin in 2015. Grant High School will be modernized starting in 2017.
The 24-person Bond Development Committee is determining which three of PPS’ other six high schools would be targeted next in a 2016 bond measure, said Jim Owens, executive director for PPS’ Office of School Modernization.
“The long-range plan is to do all nine of the high schools,” he said. “We are positioned to go forward in the fall of 2016 to get additional high schools put on. We are trying to determine what would be the criteria for the next three.”
The criteria – including building and seismic conditions, accessibility and the opportunity to leverage funding – will be weighed by the committee. Recommendations will be sent to the district’s superintendent, Carole Smith, who will then refer them to PPS’ board of directors for a decision June 23, Owens said.
Master planning work, funded via the 2012 bond, would then take place for the three chosen schools, he said. A third bond could be issued in 2020 for the remaining three high schools.
The current bond also includes money for summer improvement projects at up to 63 other schools for seven consecutive summers, Owens said. PPS will begin opening bidding this week for six summer improvement projects ($10 million in total construction value) covering 12 elementary or middle schools. Work will start June 13 and include roof replacements, seismic upgrades, ADA accessibility and science classroom construction.